Match-safe.



s. WHITGOMB. MATCH SAFE. APPLIOATION FILED 00T. 14,1907. l

Patented June 8, 1909. 2 sums-SHEET 1.

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MATCH SAFE. APPLICATION FILED 00T. 14,1907.

924,407. Patented June 8,1909. I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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SELA WHITCOMB, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN E.BRELSFORD, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

MATCH-SAFE.v

Specification o' Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SELA WHITcoMB, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Match-Safes and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide.

certain improvements in match-safes ofthat kind wherein the matches arewithdrawn from a closed box or receptacle by means of a delivery-slide,the purpose of which is to permit only one match to be obtained at atime, so as to avoid waste and prevent loose matches from lying around.

he invention will hereinafter be first fully,

described by reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a partof this specication, and then more particularly pointed out in theclaims at the end of this description.

Figure 1 of said drawings is a perspective view of a match-safeembodying my invention, shown with parts broken away to reveal theinterior construction. Fig. 2 is a detail horizontal section takenthrough the glass front of the match-box. Fig. 3 is a detail verticalsection through the lower portion of the match box behind the Lmatchhopper, showing in cross-section the spring-actuating means for pushingout the delivery-slide. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the lupper portion ofthe rear end of the box. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section takencentrally'through the match-box. Fig. 6 is a tion on line 6-6livery-slide, which appears in plan view, partly broken away to revealthe spring-actuated means for pushing said slide outward. Fig. 7 is afragment section showing the match delivery slide pushed back to receiveamatch in its groove or pocket.

In the drawings, A denotes a bevelededge base-plate or block, preferablyresting at its corners on rubber tips or feet a, and upon which ismounted the rectangular match-box B of suitable interior width toaccommodate a sup ly of ordinary parlor matches. Said matcliD-box hastherein a bottom-block C,

l back and lifting th horizontal 'sec-A of Fig. 5, showing the deof alongitudinal vertical.

projecting slightly beyond the front of the box, and on said block Crests a slide-plate D, provided with a transverse groove a', thefunction of which is to withdraw a match from thesupply-chamber orhopper within the box when the slide is reciprocated. The front of thebox consists preferably of a glass-plate E, whereby the quantity orsupply of matches can be observed; and said glass-plate E, being looselyor slidably fitted in vertical grooves e in the opposite sides of thebox, rests upon a bar F, Which latter rests upon the slide-plate D, theends of said bar F being providedwith ribs or Hanges f which are alsoloosely or slidably iitted in the aforesaid grooves e. Within the box,an inclined block or partition G forms the bottom of thematch-receptacle or hopper, whereby the supply of matches are fed intothe lower front of the box and upon that relatively short portion of theslide-plate D which is exposed in said hopper between the inclined blockG and the front of the box. The box is closed by a lid H, Vwhich howeveris detachably secured in'place by means of a cleat h on the under sideof the lid engaging under a cleat h1 in the front of the box, andfurther bymeans of a hook J at the back. Access to the box for fillingit with matches may be had byreleasing the hook J at the e e rear end ofthel lid, whereby the cleat h is disengaged from they cleat 1. The uppersurface of the lid H is or may be covered with emery or other suitablesubstance or otherwise roughened for the purpose of striking the matchesthereon.

By spring-actuatedmeans, the slide-plate isV normall projected with itsmatchroove or poclfet d beyond the front of the ox, as shown in Fig. 5.To extract a match, the'slide-plate is of course shoved back to carryits said groove d into the box and under the supply of matches in thehopper, as in Fig. 7, and said slide-plate is then released and allowedto return to its forward position, thereby withdrawing the match Awhichhas fallen into saidgroove By the forward or return movement of theslide-plate, the match lying in the groove d is lifted by coming incontact with and or inclined Wire linger K as represented in Said fingerK is mounted on the bottom-block B and rises through a central slot c inthe forward part of the slide-plate. The

effect of this is to raise the match out of a riding up an inclinelgroove d and deliver it upon the upper surface of the slide-plate whereit can be readily picked up, as well understood.

The depth of the groove d is just sufficient to hold one match, but atthe rear side of the groove the surface of the slide-plate is slightlybeveled or inclined clear across, as at d1, thus relatively lesseningthe depth of the groove d at its rear side, so that when a match fallsinto said groove it will project somewhat above the inclined surface d1while the said match will lie below or no higher than the front flatsurface of the slide-plate. The purpose of this inclined surface d1 isto obviate any sharp corner or abutment at the rear side of the grooveand thus avoid possibly catching or engaging other matches when theslide-plate, after having been pushed back to receive a match in itsgroove, is released by the operator and allowed to return to deliversuoli match. As the slide-plate moves back and forth, the bar F restingthereon will rise and fall on the incline d1, thus preserving a closecontact with the upper surface of the slide-plate; for the weight of theglass front E bearing on said bar F holds it continually but yieldinglydown upon the slide-plate, thereby providing a self-adjusting frontcoliformable to the surface of the slide-plate. Hence also, if thematches should not be of uniform sizes, said adjusting front of the boxwould rise slightly to allow the passage of any unusual obstruction (aswhere a more than ordinarily large match might be received in the grooved), but at the same time would close up the opening against theremaining matches in the box.

The slide-plate D is further provided with two match-guides L,consisting of short ribs or flanges rising from the top surface of theslide-plate at opposite sides of the central slot 7c. Said ribs L areplaced immediately in front of the groove d, at right angles thereto,and have rounded or beveled ends. When the slide-plate is pushed backinto the box, the ribs L pass through slots or notches l in the bottomof the bar F and pass under the pile of matches in the hopper, as shownin Fig. 7. The purpose of said ribs or matchguides is to lift andstraighten the matches, in

' conjunction with the straightening effect afforded by the inclinedblock G, thus insuring the falling of one match into the slot d. Theeffect of the ribs L is not only to straighten the matches, but to pushone of the matches immediately behind said ribs into the slot d. It willthus be observed that one match is with certainty delivered by eachoperation of the slide-plate, but without interfering with the othermatches in the box; the correct delivery of the matches being insured bythe said ribs L, the inclined surface d1 behind the groove d, and theadjustable front consisting of the glass-plate E and bar F resting onthe slide-plate.

j A. very simple means is provided l'or foreing and holding out theslide-plate, consisting of a rubber or other elastic band l\l stretchedbetween and engaging two tacks, nails or other suitable one of whichdepends from the under side ol' the slide-plate while the other risesfrom the bottom-block C. The said rubber or elastic band M is arrangedin a longitudinal slot or groove m2 in the block C, the aforesaid tacksor nails m and m1 projecting into said slot or groove. Then theslide-plate D is pushed back to receive a match from the hopper, thesaid rubber or elastic band M is stretched, and when the slide-plate isreleased the tension of the band returns or forces the slideplateforward, thereby withdrawing the match from the box and bringing it incontact with the inclined lifter li which throws the match out of thegroove d. The tension of the rubber or elastic band M is such as toeffect the immediate return or forward movement of the slide-plate assoon as it is rcleased by the operator. The forward and j back movementsof the slide-plate are liniited by a suitable stop N,

which may consist of a nail, pin or other projection on the block Cextending into a groove or slot fn, in the slide-plate, the length ofsaid slot or groove n limiting the reciprocation of said slide-plate byabutment of the opposite ends of said slot or groove against the stop N.l do not limit myself to the foregoing specific means for operating theslide. A wire spring or other suitable means may be used.

It will thus be seen that I provide a very simple and efficient deviceof the character stated. rlhe box may rest upon a table, counter. orother suitable support, being held from slipping by its rubber tips orfeet under the corners of the base-plate, and is always ready forconveniently extracting the matches one at a time.

l claim:

l. In a match-safe, tiie combination ol' a closed box having a hopper orchamber therein for holding a supply of transverselyarranged matches, amatch-extracting slide having a transverse match-pocket or groove andworking through the front of the box and under the match-hopper oichamber, and the front of said hopper or chamber being liftable andresting on the surface of said` slide, said movable front normallymaintaining a close contact with the slide but adapted to yield or riseto allow the passage thereunder of the match-groove when occupied by amatch of such thickness as to project above the surface of the slide.

2. In a match-safe, a closed match-box for projections m and inl,

lll() plate guides therefor in the transverse bar under having its endsalso made to fit loose y in said guides, whereby the weight of saidglass bears upon said bar and holds the latter dlovn upon but inyielding contact with said s 1 e.

3. In a match-safe, a box having a matchsupply hopper or chambertherein, a matchextracting slide working under said hopper, said slidehaving a transverse match-receiving ocket or groove, the slide being ofa widt to support and carry a match, and a plurality of match-guides orstraighteners carried by and arranged at opposite sides of the center ofthe slide and consisting of short ribs or flanges rising from said slideimmediately in front of said groove, the bottom of the front of the boxor hopper having slots therein to permit the passage of said ribs orlanges.

4. In a match-safe, a closed box for holding a supply of transverselyarranged matches, a match-extracting slide working through the front ofthe box and under the supply of matches, said slide having a transversematch-groove, the surface of the slide said glass frontsides of the box,and a being beveled or inclined behind said groove,

spaced ribs or flanges rising from said slide immediately in front ofsaid roove, and a vertically-adjustable or movale front resting uponsaid slide, the bottom of said front havin slots therein to permit thepassage of said ri s or iianges.V

5. In a match-safe, a match-box having a hopper therein for holding asupply of transversely-arranged matches, a match-extracting slideworking under said ho er, the bottom of said box below said sllie havinga longitudinal slot therein, an elastic band in said slot engaging andstretched between connections on the under side ofthe slide and bottomrespectively, and means for limiting the motion of said slide comprisinga stop projecting from one of the relatively-movable parts working in alongitudinal groove or slot in the other part.

n testimony whereof I aEx my signature,

in presence of two witnesses.

SELA WHITCOMB.

